Joe's 2011 Disneyland Candlelight Processional mini review and photos

This was our fourth year of going to Candlelight at Disneyland. Ever since meeting our friend Ruston and learning he sang at Candlelight, it's become a yearly tradition.

Welcome to Disneyland! It's Christmastime!

And today we're getting to see the Candlelight Processional. I'm sure they meant Saturday and Sunday the 3rd and 4th.

We were here for one thing only today, seeing Candlelight. As soon as we got to the park, we checked out the main stage. The area is open to walk in front of until the last parade at 3:15pm when they clear everybody out and start setting up chairs.

We sat down right around 2pm. We learned some of the people sitting right at the curb sat down around 11am. Talk about dedication!

Excited for Candlelight!

As the sun goes down, the area really starts to get crowded. All the chairs are set up and all the wheelchairs have filled in on the right. In general, I think everything was organized pretty well this year. The cast members had good communication letting everyone know where they were and weren't allowed to stand.

Disneyland always brings lots of high school choirs in to sing. I wasn't counting, but there must have been at least 15 different choirs mentioned that were participating.

The trumpeters on the top of the railroad building are always a favorite.

The Disney cast choir that makes up the main tree.

And look! There's Ruston!

The orchestra.

One of the featured soloist. Does anyone know her name? We've heard her for the last 4 years, but she's never mentioned by name.

Another soloist. Again, anyone know his name?

The hand-bell choir.

Some close-ups on a few of the faces in the choir.

And there's Ruston again!

An amazing tenor singing Silent Night in Italian. Just beautiful.

He then walked over to the conductor and they led the whole audience in Silent Night.

After the show was over, we caught a quick glimpse of Ruston as he was walking out.

We were cleared from the area so the next group could come in. We headed right back down Main Street and got in line again.

Quite a line for the next show too. Looking in front of us.

And behind us. Lines are forming on both sides of Main Street with a walking path down the middle.

After waiting for a bit, we were let back inside. Instead of going back to stage left where we were for the first showing, we decided we'd try to get more centered on the stage. We wouldn't get a good view of the trumpeters and a few other things, but we'd be able to see Gary Sinise better.From here, we were able to see the choir as they walked in.

This is a picture of mine from 2009, but I wanted to include it because it just shows the great view of everything.

Have a Good Night and God Bless America.

We all had a great time!

And then Ruston was able to come out and see us.

Time to do some shopping!

In all, we had a great time. We met and were able to talk to some great people while we were waiting around from 2pm-5pm. I really do love that Disneyland still holds their Candlelight Processional out in the open right on Main Street. We've been to Disney World and while it is good and all, Disneyland is definitely my favorite. Gary Sinise did a fine job narrating and was a good public speaker.

For those who are curious, I'm using a Canon 7D with a 70-200 f/2.8 IS lens with a 2x multiplier (which then makes it f/5.6) in most cases, ISO 3200.

Hope you enjoyed the photos. If you or someone you knew was singing on Saturday December 3rd, I might have a picture of them in the choir singing. Just send me a PM and the approximate location of where they were and I'll look through my photos for them. For some past years, check out the link in my signature.

It was a lovely performance. The wind was whipping around pretty good for the early presentation. From time to time it sounded like rolling thunder as it==the gusts barreled through the stage microphones. I saw one of the roof top trumpeters lose his hat at one gust of wind.
Gary Sinise delivered his part with real sincerity and was an excellent narrator keeping his closing remarks to the merest minimum. Maybe he was cold!
I'm looking forward to tonight's processional with even more excitement.
Thanks for sharing some great photos.

It was a lovely performance. The wind was whipping around pretty good for the early presentation. From time to time it sounded like rolling thunder as it==the gusts barreled through the stage microphones. I saw one of the roof top trumpeters lose his hat at one gust of wind.
Gary Sinise delivered his part with real sincerity and was an excellent narrator keeping his closing remarks to the merest minimum. Maybe he was cold!
I'm looking forward to tonight's processional with even more excitement.
Thanks for sharing some great photos.

Oh yeah! The wind was crazy! It was alright most of the time, but there were some times it really sounded like thunder. I noticed it particularly when he was saying, "The three wise men brought Him gold, frankincense, and myrrh." BOOM. Loud wind in the microphones.
I noticed in some of my photos the trumpeter with the missing hat. You must have had some pretty good seats to see when he lost his hat.

You can see the safety harnesses in this photo.

Maybe Gary Sinise was cold. He did tell the crowd to give the trumpeters a special round of applause and asked if they were cold up there. I couldn't see them from where I was standing to see their response.

Does anyone know where the procession with the singers and the candles will begin? Is it the main parade gate by IASW? I remember the one year that I participated instead of just having my students perform, it rained, and we lined up behind the castle and walked across the draw bridge down main street. But there was no performance due to the rain, and the crowd was rather sparse. I can't imagine them sending the singers across the bridge with thousands of people trying to take photos of that castle, not to mention the congestion in Fantasyland. So...do they just come down the main parade route from IASW?

Yeah another Joe report!! Thank you. Hopefully I'll be able to attend this someday.

Nice to have a fan. It's definitely something worth seeing. I wonder if they'll ever offer seats at a reasonable price again. $2500 this year for 2 seemed a little steep to me. I wonder where those people ended up sitting?

Originally Posted by Mac Daddy

Thanks for the great shots, Joe!

Does anyone know where the procession with the singers and the candles will begin? Is it the main parade gate by IASW? I remember the one year that I participated instead of just having my students perform, it rained, and we lined up behind the castle and walked across the draw bridge down main street. But there was no performance due to the rain, and the crowd was rather sparse. I can't imagine them sending the singers across the bridge with thousands of people trying to take photos of that castle, not to mention the congestion in Fantasyland. So...do they just come down the main parade route from IASW?

I just spoke with my friend who performed last night. For the first show, they enter over by it's a small world, but it's not from the main parade gate. There is another section behind the Fantasyland theater where they enter. For the second show, they enter near the end of main street by the first aid station on the right. That's why the corn dog cart was missing on Saturday.

Nice to have a fan. It's definitely something worth seeing. I wonder if they'll ever offer seats at a reasonable price again. $2500 this year for 2 seemed a little steep to me. I wonder where those people ended up sitting?

I just spoke with my friend who performed last night. For the first show, they enter over by it's a small world, but it's not from the main parade gate. There is another section behind the Fantasyland theater where they enter. For the second show, they enter near the end of main street by the first aid station on the right. That's why the corn dog cart was missing on Saturday.

Thanks for the info! I'm heading over there tonight and I wanted to try a couple of different things, so this really helps. Thanks again for the wonderful shots!

Thanks for the info! I'm heading over there tonight and I wanted to try a couple of different things, so this really helps. Thanks again for the wonderful shots!

And you're not already there and lined up??? Good luck there tonight. I've always been curious if Saturday is busier because it's the first night, or if Sunday is busier because more passholders can come.

The first male soloist is named Robbie, and the tenor soloist is Drew. Both sing with the Dapper Dans, although Drew is there more consistently than Robbie. I have no idea what the female soloist's name is, however.

It was a gorgeous show, even though I was freezing (and the singing was amazing, so it gave me shivers anyway), and I'm so glad I decided to camp out for it. Great pics, and thank you for sharing, as I see a bit of one of my friend's faces a few rows below your friend.

"Look there she goes, that girl is so peculiar...with a dreamy, far-off look, and her nose stuck in a book..." Yep, that would be me!

I tend to post in a thread and forget to check it ever again, or even worse, I kill it. Yay me.

Oh wow!!! These pictures are fantastic!
I was in this showing and have been looking for pics everywhere! Would you mind if I borrowed some of these to show to my choir? (with photo credit listing of course)

Again, these are stunning. What an event to remember!

-Backside of Water

Say goodbye to the people onshore because you will never see them again...

then again you've probably never seen them before

Check out my first trip report! It's full to the brim with epicness.
AND HERE IS MY NEWEST TRIP REPORT!!! It's better because it's new. and in space.

Oh wow!!! These pictures are fantastic!
I was in this showing and have been looking for pics everywhere! Would you mind if I borrowed some of these to show to my choir? (with photo credit listing of course)

Again, these are stunning. What an event to remember!

-Backside of Water

I remember you sang in previous years as well. Where were you on the stage this year? I'll scroll through my photos again and see if I can't find you. I did try to take photos all around the stage of people's faces, but it's always hit and miss.

The first male soloist is named Robbie, and the tenor soloist is Drew. Both sing with the Dapper Dans, although Drew is there more consistently than Robbie. I have no idea what the female soloist's name is, however.

It was a gorgeous show, even though I was freezing (and the singing was amazing, so it gave me shivers anyway), and I'm so glad I decided to camp out for it. Great pics, and thank you for sharing, as I see a bit of one of my friend's faces a few rows below your friend.

Thanks for the info! I don't mind camping out there either. There's always friendly people sitting around you and you all at least have Candlelight in common to talk about.

I remember you sang in previous years as well. Where were you on the stage this year? I'll scroll through my photos again and see if I can't find you. I did try to take photos all around the stage of people's faces, but it's always hit and miss.

I have no problem with you sharing the photos (for private use only).

I am in the second row of the top tier. My friend is standing right next to me and has bright red hair. we are all the way at the left end of the platform (center of this picture).

Thank you so much! These are brilliant!

---------- Post added 12-04-2011 at 02:37 PM ----------

Originally Posted by mre200200

Thanks for the info! I don't mind camping out there either. There's always friendly people sitting around you and you all at least have Candlelight in common to talk about.

Can you point out your friend in this picture?

I actually see a bunch of people from our choir in this. Me and my friend are off to the left of this picture. Thank you!

Say goodbye to the people onshore because you will never see them again...

then again you've probably never seen them before

Check out my first trip report! It's full to the brim with epicness.
AND HERE IS MY NEWEST TRIP REPORT!!! It's better because it's new. and in space.